These are the last proclamations from the HÔtel de Ville. They refer immediately to the burning of the capital.

In the evening of the thirty-first of May, when Delescluze denied with vehemence that the regular army had made its entry, he wrote to Dombrowski:—

“CITIZEN—I learn that the orders given for the construction of barricades are contradictory.
“See that this be not repeated.
“Blow up or burn the houses which interfere with your plans for the defence. The barricades ought to be unattackable from the houses.
“The defenders of the Commune must be removed above want: give to the necessitous that which is contained in the houses about to be destroyed.
“Moreover, make all necessary requisitions,

“DELESCLUZE, A. BILLICRAY.”
“Paris, 2nd Prairial, an 79.”

On the 22nd appeared the following proclamation:—

“CITIZENS,—The gate of Saint-Cloud, attacked from four directions at once, was forcibly taken by the Versaillais, who have become masters of a considerable portion of Paris.
“This reverse, far from discouraging us, should prove a stimulus to our exertions. A people who have dethroned kings, destroyed Bastilles, and established a Republic, can not lose in a day the fruits of the emancipation of the 18th of March.
“Parisians, the struggle we have commenced cannot be abandoned, for it is a struggle between the past and the future, between liberty and despotism, equality and monopoly, fraternity and servitude, the unity of nations and the egotism of oppressors.
“AUX ARMES!
“Yes,—to arms! Let Paris bristle with barricades, and from behind these improvised ramparts let her shout to her enemies the cry of war, its cry of fierce pride of defiance, and of victory; for Paris with her barricades is invincible.
“Let the pavement of the streets be torn up; firstly, because the projectiles coming from the enemy are less dangerous falling on soft ground; secondly, because these paving-stones, serving as a new means of defence, can be carried to the higher floors where there are balconies.
“Let revolutionary Paris, the Paris of great deeds, do her duty; the Commune and the Committee for Public Safety will do theirs.

“HÔtel de Ville, 2nd Prairial, an 79,
“The Committee for Public Safety,
“ANTOINE ARNAULT, E. EUDES, F. GAMBON, G. RANVIER.”

These are the commentaries made by Citizen Delescluze:—

“Citoyen Jacquet is authorised to find men and materials for the construction of barricades in the Rue du ChÂteau d’Eau and in the Rue d’Albany.
“The citoyens and citoyennes who refuse their aid will be shot on the spot.
“The citoyens, chiefs of barricades, are entrusted with the care of assuring tranquillity each in his own quarter.
“They are to inspect all houses bearing a suspicious appearance &c., &c.
“The houses suspected are to be set light to at the first signal given.

“DELESCLUZE.”